Establishing a Centre for Plasma Microbiology

生物膜是一组微生物，它们在表面上相互粘附，成为一个有组织的菌落，被一种粘稠的物质包围，形成一个多样化和受到良好保护的群落。每个人都可以涉及到的生物膜的一个常见例子是牙齿上的牙菌斑的形成，如果不进行治疗，会导致蛀牙。虽然口腔中的生物膜形成大多是无害的，但据估计，全世界高达80%的感染与生物膜有关。特别是，植入器械（如气管插管）的生物膜定殖呈现出特别有弹性的感染储库，与全身抗生素隔离，这通常导致出现多重耐药菌落。感染此类感染的患者前景尤其黯淡，某些患者群体中呼吸机相关性肺炎（VAP）等疾病的死亡率超过50%。冷等离子体技术最近引起了全球的关注，因为它提供了一种有效的手段来破坏生物膜污染，包括含有多重耐药细菌的生物膜。实施这项有前途的技术的主要障碍是等离子体源开发缺乏创新。该奖项将通过开发新的电源和系统来应对挑战，这些电源和系统产生专门针对原位管理植入设备上的生物膜污染的输出;这些努力将由微生物学和转化医学专家，临床医生和患者密切互动的团队推动。这一点的关键将是独特的方法和理解揭示了我以前的EPSRC资助的研究，解决了物理科学的重大挑战领域的涌现和物理远离平衡（EP/J005894/1）。我的长期研究愿景是建立一个多学科的卓越中心，专注于开发新型的基于等离子体的物理干预措施，作为我改革技术驱动的雄心的一部分。应对全球卫生挑战。该中心将作为一个枢纽，以促进新的工程和物理科学研究驱动的这一领域的新思维/方法/技术，并将成为探索新的科学视野的催化剂。实现这一愿景将需要一种变革性的方法，推动等离子体科学的前沿，打破传统的学科界限。成功需要创造力、雄心勃勃的计划、高度的灵活性和必要的风险承担，并与回报范围相平衡。我将在一个连贯的研究计划框架内管理这些方面，活动将由一个精心挑选的研究领导团队支持。我的方法的核心是最终用户的持续和积极参与，以告知研究设计和研究目标。我的方法将确保优先关注临床需求，这是推动创新和确保成功翻译的重要因素。将新技术转化到医疗保健领域（“从工作台到病床”）的平均时间轴为17年;鉴于对拟议技术的直接临床需求，加速转化过程将是中心的一个关键优先事项。利用项目团队丰富的专业知识和利物浦独特的创新生态系统，其中包括西北海岸学术健康科学网络（AHSN -www.nwcahsn.nhs.uk），已经制定了一项转化计划，以在10 - 12年的时间内将血浆净化技术引入医疗保健行业。这项技术的引入将对价值140亿美元的市场产生重大影响;直接促进英国强大的生命科学行业，该行业约有183，000名员工，预计总营业额为560亿英镑。

Biofilms are groups of microorganisms that stick to each other on a surface, becoming an organised colony that is surrounded by a slimy substance to form a diverse and well protected community. A common example of a biofilm that everyone can relate to is the formation of plaque on teeth, which left untreated causes tooth decay. While biofilm formation in the mouth is mostly harmless, it has been estimated that up to 80 % of all infections worldwide are biofilm-related. In particular, biofilm colonisation of implanted devices such as Endotracheal tubes presents a particularly resilient reservoir of infection, shielded from systemic antibiotics, that often leads to the emergence of multidrug-resistant colonies. Patients contracting such infections have a particularly bleak outlook, with mortality rates for diseases such as Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) exceeding 50 % in certain patient groups. Quite simply, establishing a management strategy for these organisms is a global priority.Cold plasma technology has recently attracted global attention as it provides an effective means to destroy biofilm contamination, including biofilms containing multidrug resistant bacteria. A major barrier to the implementation of this promising technology is a lack of innovation in plasma source development. This award will tackle the challenge by developing novel power sources and systems that produce an output tailored specifically to manage biofilm contamination on implanted devices in situ; these efforts will be driven by a closely interacting team of specialists in microbiology and translational medicine, clinicians and patients. Key to this will be the unique methods and understanding uncovered on my previous EPSRC funded research which addressed the Physical Sciences grand challenge area of Emergence and Physics Far From Equilibrium (EP/J005894/1).My long term research vision is to establish a multidisciplinary centre of excellence focused on the development of novel plasma based physical interventions as part of my ambition to revolutionise technology driven approaches to global health challenges. The Centre will act as a hub to facilitate new thinking/methodologies/technology in this area driven by novel engineering and physical sciences research and will be a catalyst to explore new scientific horizons. Delivering this vision will demand a transformative approach that pushes the frontiers of plasma science and breaks-down traditional discipline boundaries. Success will require creativity, ambitious plans, high levels of flexibility and the necessary taking of risks balanced against the scope for reward. I will manage these aspects within the framework of a coherent research programme, and activities will be underpinned by a hand-picked team of research leaders. At the heart of my approach is the sustained and active involvement of end-users to inform research design and research goals. My approach will ensure priorities focus on clinical need, an essential factor to drive innovation and ensure successful translation. The average timeline for translation of new technologies in to the healthcare sector ('bench to bed') is 17 years; given the immediate clinical need for the proposed technology, accelerating the translational process will be a key priority of the Centre. Drawing on the wealth of expertise available in the project team and the unique innovation eco-system in Liverpool, which includes the North West Coast Academic Health Science Network (AHSN - www.nwcahsn.nhs.uk), a translational plan has been established to see the introduction of plasma decontamination technology in the healthcare sector within a 10 - 12 year timeframe. The introduction of this technology will have a significant impact in a market sector valued at $14 billion; directly contributing to the UK's strong life sciences industry, which employs an estimated 183,000 and generates a combined estimated turnover of £56bn.